Grey skies over Britain have given gardeners a silver lining in 2024: bumper crops of roses Grower Philip Harkness says that 2024 has been one of the best years for roses A very wet winter and spring meant roots were well watered before the summer Even football legend David Beckham has been planting at his Cotswold home By Colin Fernandez, Environmant Editor Published: 18:09 EDT, 17 August 2024 | Updated: 18:11 EDT, 17 August 2024 e-mail View comments The cloudy skies and frequent washouts in Britain this year have given gardeners a silver lining – a bumper crop of roses. Philip Harkness, chairman of The Harkness Rose Company, says that 2024 has been among the best years for growing the blooms in the past four decades. A breeder of more than 200 varieties of British rose, Harkness is having high yields at its nursery in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
Bestsellers include the scarlet Chelsea Pensioner Rose, launched at the Chelsea Flower Show , and Chandos Beauty, which has fragrant salmon-pink flowers. Mr Harkness said: 'We had a very wet winter and spring, which meant the rain went down into the soil to the roots of established plants. Bloomin' lovely: Cloudy skies over Britain have resulted in a bumper year for roses, says top breeder Philip Harkness Even football legend David Beckham is getting in on the act - he posted a video on Instagram showing himself planting a shrub in the garden of his £12 million Cotswolds farmhouse 'That was the foundation of this year being a higher than average yield of first-grade roses as it encouraged good growth from low down in the plants.
'If it gets too hot, like the temperatures we have had in the past week, plants stop growing because they cannot get enough moisture. Read More The sixteen rookie errors almost every gardener makes, and how to correct them, by the Mail's gardening experts 'But until recently we have not had anything approaching that. 'Throughout this year, our roses have had a constant supply of rainwater on them and they love it.
' Even football legend David Beckham is getting in on the act. He posted a video on Instagram showing himself planting a shrub in the garden of his £12 million Cotswolds farmhouse. Mr Harkness added: 'By and large, May was a fairly cool month and we got some plump, bulbous buds, which produce big flowers.
'And it has been breezy, which keeps the air circulating and reduces the amount of black-spot disease. 'All in all we have to thank nature as opposed to patting ourselves on the back as clever gardeners. Harkness Roses said the Chelsea Pensioner Rose was 'radiant and rich' with 'abundant glossy leaves and a shine almost as dazzling as the pensioners' shoes' Everything's rosey: A very wet winter and spring meant the rain went down into the soil to the roots of established plants and resulted in a bumper year for rose lovers 'It certainly does help for a bumper crop.
' He said the Chelsea Pensioner Rose was 'radiant and rich' with 'abundant glossy leaves and a shine almost as dazzling as the pensioners' shoes'. The hybrid tea rose bush typically grows 3ft 6ins tall and 30ins wide. The firm hopes to raise £50,000 for the Royal Hospital Chelsea charity through sales of the rose.
For every bloom sold, costing from £24.99, Harkness will donate £2.50 to the charity.
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